Absolute
by jackielynn
Summary: After having his proposal to his girlfriend, Gert, rejected, Andrew heads to New York in search of bigger and better things. Little does he know just what awaits him in the Big Apple.
1. The Girl, She Gets Away

**Hello fellow Proposal lovers! This story is going to show a side of Andrew the movie never showed. It begins with this chapter where Andrew first proposes to Gert. But don't worry! This is NOT a Gert/Andrew centered story...Margaret and Andrew will come eventually. I really wasn't sure how to begin this story, but eventually it came to me. I will not be following the movie at all, this is just a different way for Andrew and Margaret meeting and falling in love. If you have any suggestions for something you'd like to see or any criticism, go ahead and let me know. I want to make this story enjoyable for you guys. Anyway, on to chapter 1!**

**~jackielynn**

**P.S. Chapter titles will be based on song lyrics by The Fray...the first one is from a song called "Absolute" which I do not own at all.**

_I've seen this one before, the girl she gets away  
Everybody knows it but no one tries to stop it  
Cause she barely even knows him but if she could see inside  
Everything is quiet as she waits to tell him who she is_

_~The Fray, "Absolute"_

It was time; time for a new chapter in Andrew's life story. He was almost ready to make the next step in two different areas of his life. As he sat in his small apartment, Andrew thought back to all the amazing times he had in college and all the things he had learned. It had been six of the best years of his life. Yes, count them; six. Andrew had spent the last six years at the University of Alaska Southeast, majoring in Business, working to get his Master's degree. He also minored in English in hopes of becoming the editor in chief of his own book publishing company. But for now, at 24, he'd settle with almost being a college graduate.

It was the night before Andrew's college graduation and hopefully, the night of his engagement. He was convinced that if there was ever a time to ask Gert to run away with him to New York, it was now. They had been dating since their senior year of high school. She was the only one Andrew had ever had a serious relationship with and it had lasted for well over seven years. He hoped that tonight, she would accept his marriage proposal and they could start their new life together. Andrew's mom, dad and Gammy Annie would be arriving early tomorrow morning to see him graduate from UAS. In addition to his graduation, he would love to give them the happy news of his engagement, if only she said yes.

As he sat on his bed, his hands silently playing with a little black, velvet box, he thought about how much his future depended on what was in the box. Andrew was jolted out of his private thoughts when his roommate and friend Chuck excitedly opened the door.

"Dude, today is the DAY! Are you ready for this bro?" Chuck exclaimed.

"I hope so, it's been seven years. If I'm not ready now, I'll never be. I just hope Gert is as ready as I am," Andrew replied.

"Come on man, let's go out and celebrate your last day of freedom! Pretty soon you and Gert will be chained together at the ankle. You need a brewski or two to loosen you up for tonight."

Andrew thought for a second and realized Chuck was right. He stood up and put the ring in a drawer on his bedside table. After grabbing his jacket, he and Chuck headed to a local bar for an afternoon of beer and buds.

After three hours, five games of pool and a pitcher of Budweiser, Andrew was ready to head back to the house to get ready for his big date.

As they walked in the door of the apartment, Andrew was shocked to find his parents and grandmother waiting for him. Grace and Gammy Annie came running toward him to give him a huge hug and as usual, his father stood silently off to the side. It took Andrew a few seconds to get his bearings after being tackled by the female members of his family and he went and shook hands with his father.

"Mom, what are you guys doing here? I thought you weren't getting in until tomorrow?"

"Well, when Chuck told us your amazing news, we decided to leave early."

At this, Andrew froze and turned around to face Chuck, "Oh really? What…amazing…news…might…this…be?" he said, through gritted teeth, glaring at his roommate.

"Oh, you know dude, about you proposing to Ger…oh…whoops."

"Yeah. Whoops."

"Sorry man."

Andrew reminded himself to kick Chuck in the balls later for spilling his secret.

"Honey," Grace said to her son, "You were going to tell us about this weren't you?"

"Yeah, after it happened! I didn't want to tell you and get you all excited, or have you come early, like you already did."

After spending an hour with his family, getting advice and tips for the night ahead of him, he went and changed for his date with Gert. He was taking her to a quiet Italian restaurant, not too far from the house she shared with four other girls who attended Southeast. After putting on his tie and jacket, he reached into his pocket to make sure the ring was still there. The rest of his life started tonight, depending on whether Gert accepted his proposal or not. He hoped to God she would.

When he arrived at her house, he went to go knock on the door but was surprised when it opened before he could. There was Gert, surrounded by her roommates who were giggling uncontrollably. Andrew's heart almost stopped at the sight of her, her hair, her makeup, her dress. She was gorgeous and pretty soon, she would be his fiancée. For now, he couldn't take his eyes off of her and only barely noticed her roommates gathered around her. "Evening lades," he said politely, his gaze still remaining on his girlfriend. They giggled again and closed the door behind Gert, leaving the couple alone on the front porch.

Andrew went forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips, "You have no idea how good it is to see you. I love you," he whispered, gathering her and in his arms.

"Well, I love you too Andy," she responded. "But right now, I'm starving. Can we go?"

Andrew was a bit taken aback by her sudden declaration of hunger in response to his declaration of love, but politely obliged and they made their way to the restaurant.

When they walked in, they were immediately directed to a romantic table in the corner of the restaurant. Andrew was pleased to see that it was decorated with candles and the white roses he had asked to be put there. Gert looked pleased.

"What's all this?" she asked, smiling.

"Well, it's just a celebration. You know, it's our last night as college students and we're about to go off into the real world."

"Well that's very sweet Andrew. There's no one else I'd rather be spending this night with. Can you believe we're going to be graduating tomorrow? It seems like just yesterday we were seniors in high school. Remember the day we met?"

"Yeah, Stephen was sure we'd hit it off right away. Boy was he right."

Gert smiled lovingly at Andrew and was surprised when a waiter brought out her and Andrew's favorite Italian dish and dessert. After eating as much as they could, Andrew decided that it was time. "Gert, I have something for you," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, looking at him.

"Open it."

When she ripped open the envelope, she was shocked by what was inside. Two plane tickets to New York. "Andrew! You're taking me to New York? I've always wanted to go there."

"There's more."

"What is this? Oh my God…"

Before she could respond, Andrew pulled out his chair and knelt down on the ground before her. "Gertrude, you are the only woman I've ever loved. From the day I met you, I knew you were going to be the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. We are so similar, it was like I had found a missing part of me I never knew I had. I've loved you for a long time and now, we're about to go out in the world. You're the only one I want to go out in the world with and pass through life with. Gert, will you marry me?"

"Andrew," she whispered.

After a few seconds of silence, Andrew was beginning to get nervous. Everyone in the restaurant had turned their direction when they saw him get down on his knee and they were waiting for her response.

"Honey?" he asked worriedly.

"I – I'm sorry Andrew. I can't."

Andrew's eyes fell to the floor and he closed them. He slowly got up and walked out the door and Gert followed.

When they got outside, Andrew's anger was about to spill out, but he did his best to keep it inside.

"Gert, what's going on? You just said you've always wanted to go to New York."

"Yeah, to visit. I didn't know you wanted me to live there! Andrew, I can't marry you. You know you don't want to marry me."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to marry you. God! Can't you see that? I love you, I want to be with you. What'd you think? We were just going to date for seven years and then just write it off as if nothing had happened?"

"No, of course not, but why did you have to go buy an apartment in New York City when you already live in Sitka?"

"That was going to be our apartment. I got a job in New York at a publishing company and I want you to come with me. They called this morning to confirm everything. I bought the ring a few weeks ago and I've been planning this for months."

"Andrew, you know the only thing I want to do is teach at home. I don't want to go to New York. This is your dream, not mine. I love you, but we've been going down two separate roads for quite some time, and I think it's time that we realize that. We want different things out of life and I'm just not ready for what you want."

Andrew could feel the tears threatening to spill from his eyes as a look of disbelief spread across his face. "So what?" he said quietly. "Is this it? Are you leaving me? Are we over?"

Gert took a step closer to him and put a hand on his cheek. "Andrew, I will always love you. But right now, we are two very different people. No matter what, nothing will change the fact that you were the first guy I ever loved. I have to think about my future though. Who knows, maybe in five or ten years, we can try again and things will work out. But for now, the only thing I want to do is teach. I'm not ready for marriage. We're so young Andy and we've got the whole world before us. Even if you do meet someone else, just know that I will always love you."

"So that's all, you're just going to walk away?"

"For now, yes."

And with that, Gertrude walked down the dock that led up to the restaurant and left Andrew with a ring and two plane tickets to New York.

The drive home was hell for Andrew and when he reached his apartment, he hesitated. There were going to be four very disappointed people waiting for him. He opened the door slowly and quietly and was immediately greeted by his family and friends who were expecting Gert to walk in behind him. When he shut the door, their faces fell and he turned and headed toward his room, tuning out the cries and clamors of his mom and Gammy Annie. Not even bothering to change or turn on a light, Andrew went to bed and hoped he didn't wake up for a very, very long time.


	2. The City Spins Around

**Okay, so I'm sorry this is a short chapter and that there's no Andrew/Margaret yet, but they're coming, I promise. This is kind of a transition chapter to show how time has passed since Andrew's heart was broken by Gert. A whole lot of nothing happens in this chapter lol. But Andrew and Margaret "meet' for the first time in chapter 3. You'll see what I mean by "meet." **

**~jackielynn**

_When I'm losing my control, the city spins around  
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down_

_~The Fray, "Look After You"_

Andrew arose bright and early one morning thanks to the traffic outside his window. He was glad to be in the city; the sights, the sounds and the opportunities that came with living in New York.

A week after graduation, Andrew had moved to NYC and escaped the heartbreak he had experienced in Alaska. He had been ready for a change in scenery, climate and experiences. It was his turn to care about the one thing that mattered most; his future. So, leaving his family and forgetting Gertrude, he boarded the plane that took him to his new life.

Now, four years later, Andrew was convinced that life could not get any worse. He had no permanent job and no hope for a future. The job he originally came to New York for fell through after two and a half years. It was a dead-end job anyway, so Andrew didn't consider it that big of a loss. While he was making good money, he didn't enjoy what he was doing. While he wasn't an assistant or anything, all he did was sit in an office and read crappy manuscripts all day. To him, this was not what he went to college for. He wanted to edit and have some control. However, when he came to the "Big Apple," he lost all of his control. Hewett & Pratt was a small publishing company who could barely make ends meet. They published a good book once every three months before finally declaring bankruptcy. After losing his job, Andrew got a temporary teaching job at a local high school. He taught high school English, but quit after a year and a half, he was bored with that too and teaching was not his forte.

Andrew was beginning to realize that his dream of living and working in New York was not the same as it was ten years ago when he first chose his major. There was a lot of sacrifice that came with living in a city this big and maintaining an important job. He was beginning to feel like a small fish in a very, very, very big pond.

However, last week, hope came in the form of a phone call from New York University. They wanted him to help teach a business class that dealt specifically with the publishing of books. Now this was what he was looking for. While it was another teaching job, it was in an area of interest so Andrew immediately accepted the interview, which was at two this afternoon.

After doing his usual run, taking shower and getting dressed, Andrew hailed a cab and headed toward NYU.

On the dot of two, he arrived in the office of Alicia Estes, the head of business at the university. She greeted him politely and led him into her office.

After about half an hour of rigorous interviewing, Andrew was told that his credentials were outstanding and he had great potential at the university and so, he was hired.

That night, Andrew went out with a few friends from Hewett & Pratt to celebrate and when he got home, he couldn't help but feel that something was missing in this big city life he was living. When he rolled over in bed and saw the empty spot next to him where another person should be, he realized what it was.


	3. I Saw You and I Want You

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews. Sorry this took a few days to get up. Enjoy!**

**~jackielynn**

_I see you there, don't know where you come from_

_Unaware of a stare from someone_

_Don't appear to care that I saw you and I want you_

_~The Fray, "Say When"_

"Hey Andrew, let's go out and celebrate!" Catherine said, coming to the door. "Michael and I want to treat you to dinner."

Andrew looked up from the stack of papers he was grading and smiled at her. "Now why would you want to take me out?" he said, playing dumb.

"Come on Andy, don't think I don't know it's your birthday. Thirtieth birthdays are a big milestone! You're practically a dinosaur now."

Andrew laughed and rolled his eyes. "Alright, but no funny business. I don't need to have a big group of waiters and waitresses who couldn't give a damn singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. Got it?"

"Alright, whatever you say hotshot. It's your day. How about we meet at Cardoni's at seven?"

"Sounds great."

Andrew was lucky to have such good friends like Catherine and Michael. Otherwise, he would have been spent his birthday going through his manuscript, watching reruns of CSI and eating stale chips. That was a night he could definitely live without. The day he ate stale chips would be the day he hit the poorhouse and he wasn't quiet ready for that. In fact, Andrew had done quite well for himself ever since picking up a job at NYU. He was happy with teaching and his students were enjoyable. Even though they were only a few years younger than him, they brought a new perspective to books that he had never experienced before.

He made it through his first year with a few ups and downs, but had made some friends along the way who helped him through it. He even taught a class for part of the summer and now, he was about to start his second year. While this was no dead end job, it still wasn't what Andrew wanted to be doing. He was beginning to wonder if the time would ever come for him to move up. Little did he know just how close he was.

His boss, Alan Meade knocked on his door about an hour after Catherine did. Andrew was still grading papers when he looked up and saw Alan walking in.

"Andrew, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure boss what's up?"

"Well I just wanted to give you some good news. I've been reviewing your credentials. Andrew, you are an excellent teacher and the students and the staff all love you. Now, I know you don't have a whole lot of experience in publishing, but I would like to offer you a part-time position at my company. We're a small, fledgling company but I could really use an extra set of eyes and ears on some of the things we're running. Now, I know you teach during the week, but I could really use you in your spare time or just on the weekends. What do you say?"

"Wow, I really have no idea. I think I'd love to, but can I get back to you for sure in a few days?"

"Of course, no problem," Alan replied. "Take your time."

"Alright, thanks again."

Andrew looked at his clock after Alan left his room. _6:40._

He quickly packed up and headed downstairs to catch a cab. He arrived at Cardoni's on the dot of seven.

As he walked in and looked for Catherine and Michael, his eye was caught by a fine pair of legs sitting directly in front of him at the bar. Before he had time to see who these legs belonged to, his attention was directed to his left, where he found a massive group of people shouting 'Happy Birthday Andrew.' He couldn't believe it. Everyone from work was there to greet him. There were balloons, presents and even a cake with his name on it.

Andrew hated being the center of attention, but he couldn't help but smile at his friends. He walked toward the large group and kissed Catherine on the cheek. He smiled at her and shook hands with Michael and began to mingle with the rest of the group.

After eating his fair share of food and opening a few gifts, people began to wish him well and head home. Andrew thanked Catherine and Michael again for their surprise and they headed home to tuck their two little boys in.

Andrew gathered up all his stuff and was about to head out when he took one last look at the bar. He noticed that fine pair of legs again and wondered what they were still doing here, two hours later. He craned his neck, trying to get a better view of the woman. He saw her looking around expectedly, as if she were waiting for someone. She was older than him, maybe mid thirties. She had long dark hair and a killer figure. He also noticed a few empty wine glasses on the bar in front of her. Whoever it was she was looking for was clearly not going to be showing up tonight. Her countenance almost held one of sadness as he watched her drinking alone. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She was a very, very beautiful woman and he couldn't help but wonder just why she was alone. Normally, Andrew wasn't the type to make his move. In fact, he hadn't made much of a move into the realm of dating since his failed engagement to Gert. But there was something in him that wanted to talk to her. So, he took his thirty year old self to the bar and ordered a drink.

"I'll have a scotch please," he told the bartender. He was only a few seats down from the woman and he casually glanced her direction, hoping she wouldn't notice. But she did.

"You must be Andrew," she said, looking at him.

"I am. And you are?"

"Margaret."

"Nice to meet you Margaret."

"Happy birthday," she said, almost sadly.

"Thanks…I'm thirty now. But to be honest, I don't feel like it. In fact, I almost wish I wasn't."

"Why's that?" she asked, her curiosity peaked.

"My life hasn't quite turned out the way I was hoping it would. I mean at thirty, I should be married, having a family, buying a house. But I can't even seem to get past a stupid teaching job. And I don't date. Ever," Andrew looked up at her and suddenly realized how rude he was being. "I'm sorry, I don't even know you and I'm dumping all my problems on you. I think I'm just gonna go now."

Andrew started to get up and walk away but before he could, he was stopped by six little words, "Wait, why don't you sit down?"

"I really should go, believe me. You don't wanna hear about my problems."

"I'm pretty sure my problems could beat your problems any day."

"Okay, try me," Andrew challenged. He couldn't believe he was sitting here, having this conversation with a woman he barely knew.

"Okay. My parents died when I was sixteen, I've been on my own ever since. I work at a job where no one likes me and I'm the queen bitch. I have very few friends and I was supposed to meet a guy here two hours ago for drinks. I got stood up, for the fourth time this month."

"Damn," Andrew said quietly. "You win." This girl had more problems than he ever thought were possible for a human being to have.

"Thought so," Margaret said smugly.

"Listen," Andrew said, turning to Margaret. "I was wondering if I could have…"

"Trust me, birthday boy, save yourself the trouble. I'm not worth it."

"But I didn't even ask you anything," Andrew replied, stunned.

"Listen, how about a round on me and we'll call it a night?" Margaret replied.

She called over the bartender and ordered two shots of strong tequila, one for her and one for Andrew.

"Happy birthday to you," she said, looking and Andrew. With that, she slammed the tequila down her throat and bit down hard on a lemon to take some of the edge off. Andrew followed suit and looked over at her.

"Thank you," he said.

"No problem."

After leaving a tip for the bartender, Andrew got up and headed toward the door, taking one last look at the mystery woman at the bar. He shook his head and smiled, opening the door and heading out into the night air. He hailed a taxi, went home and crawled right into bed and laid awake thinking about tequila shots and beautiful brunettes. This really was the strangest birthday ever.


	4. I Wish You Were a Stranger

**Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long to get up. I'm out of town with limited internet access, but here ya go. This is my favorite chapter so far.**

"_Let's rearrange, I wish you were a stranger I could disengage_

_Say that we agree and then never change_

_Soften a bit until we all just get along"_

_~The Fray, "Over My Head"_

A few days after his birthday, Andrew was approached by one of his more quiet students. Angela was the classic bookworm, through and through. However, Andrew appreciated her enthusiasm when it came to the books he assigned to her. Angela was under his watchful eye as she was training to become a professional one day. He had agreed to give her some extra teaching in return for her being his student aide. She graded his tests, he gave her books. That's how they're relationship worked. It was the best relationship he'd ever had, aside from Gertrude of course.

"Mr. Paxton," Angela said quietly. Andrew had insisted that his students call him Mr. Paxton or "Mr. P" rather than "Professor Paxton." He wasn't a professor and probably never would be. Besides, the title just made him sound old and boring. However, calling him Andrew or Andy would have been completely inappropriate. So, he settled on Mr. Paxton.

"What's up Angela?" Andrew replied, turning to face her.

"This is for you," she said, handing him a folded up piece of paper. I know you enjoy teaching, but it's probably not want you want to do forever. I was scanning the job ads for myself when I came across this. I don't have time for it because of school, but it's something you could do. It could be the start of your publishing career."

Andrew took the paper from her and unfolded it. Big bold words read "EDITOR'S ASSISTANT NEEDED."

"I know it's not the best job in the world," Angela continued. "You'd be starting from the very bottom, but I think that in time, you'd get to the top. I mean, everybody starts at the bottom at some point in their life, you know?"

"Thanks Angie. I've actually been trying to decide if I'm going to be returning in the fall or not. Mr. Meade offered me a job at his company, but it's a fairly new one. I'm not sure what all I'd be doing there, but eventually I'd like to be in charge of my own company. I can't do that if I'm working at someone else's."

"And you know, Colden is pretty popular and they've been around for years. I'm pretty sure that after six months of kick ass work, you'd be promoted."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll keep that in mind," Andrew said, tucking the paper into his pocket.

The day wore on and Andrew made it though his two other classes. Before going home, he decided to stop by Colden Books and see what the assistant's job was really all about. He made an appointment for an interview that was to take place the following day. Andrew called Catherine and asked if she could cover his last class of the day so he could make the interview. She agreed and it was all settled. Andrew was about to find out what the next step in his life would be.

The next morning, Andrew flew through his two morning classes and went home for a quick lunch and to change. Then, he made his way to the Ruick and Hunt publishing building. He reached the seventh floor, took a deep breath and headed toward the front desk. "Andrew Paxton, I'm here for the editor's interview?" he told the secretary.

"Ah yes, right this way Mr. Paxton."

She led him to a small, but accommodating office. The name "Bob Spaulding" was carved into a gold nameplate on the door. Andrew didn't think the name sounded too intimidating. However, his thoughts were immediately refuted when he opened the door and found a crazy eyed man pacing back and forth across the room. Bob was short and somewhat stout with dark skin, hair and eyes. He stopped pacing when saw Andrew enter the office and looked up at him. He motioned for Andrew to sit as he sat behind his own desk. After half an hour of rigorous interviewing, intense questioning and reviewing of his credentials, Bob deemed Andrew the best qualified for the job. He had gotten the position at Colden Books.

Afterwards, Andrew stood up to shake hands with Bob. "It's been a pleasure sir," he said. "Thank you so much for this. I can't wait to begin working with you."

"With me? Oh hell no. I already have three assistants. You'll be working with our editor in chief."

"But the ad said you were looking for an editor's assistant?" Andrew said, confused.

"Yes well…we lied. Our editor in chief is a little…crazy. But you seem strong and I think you can handle her. We were afraid no one would come out for the job if they realized who she was. So we advertised for an editor's assistant instead."

"Um…exactly what's wrong with her?"

"You'll see. It's difficult to explain."

With that, Andrew was shown out of Bob Spaulding's office and to a small cubicle and desk across from another office. This would be his cubicle, his desk, his phone and his Apple computer! Andrew was amazed that a publishing company could afford a Mac for every worker in its office.

As he sat down to get a feel for his new office space, Andrew suddenly saw a glass door fly open and a man come running out. A thick manuscript was not far behind him and hit the floor with a thud.

"AND STAY OUT!" he heard a shrill voice scream. The scream was that of a woman…and that woman just happened to be his new boss.

Andrew was not prepared for what he saw next.

Out of the office came the most beautiful, gorgeous and astonishing woman he had ever seen. Too bad he had seen her before…in a very, very drunken state, very much unlike the state of anger she was in now.

She looked royally pissed off and ready to throw something or hit the next person that crossed her path. Andrew tried to avoid eye contact with the woman he had met at the bar, but it was too late. She had already noticed him. He tried to duck down behind his new Mac, but failed miserably. When she got closer, he poked his head out from behind the computer.

"YOU!" they both said at the same time.

At this point, Bob had come out of his office to see what all the fray was about. "Do you two know each other? Well Margaret Tate, this is your assistant, Andrew Paxton. Welcome to hell," he said sarcastically, patting Andrew on the back.

After he walked away, Margaret came closer to Andrew's desk. "What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you a teacher or something?"

"Or something?" Andrew asked pointedly.

"I'm sorry. The details of the night I met you are fairly hazy. Wasn't it your birthday or someth – oh my God…I bought you a drink didn't I? Shit. How pathetic was I?"

"You weren't pathetic at all," Andrew replied. "In fact, I found you rather charming up until about five minutes ago," he said with a big, fake grin.

"Well I'm sorry you had to see that, but if you're going to be my assistant now, you had better learn to deal, because this is me on a good day."

"How about this," Andrew said. "How about we pretend like we're complete strangers who have never seen each other before in their lives? You are simply my boss and I am simply your employee. I am your subordinate."

"Well hello subordinate," Margaret said sarcastically. "I'm Margaret Tate, editor in chief of this company. And you are?"

"Andrew Paxton. Pleasure to meet you," he said, reaching out his hand.

Margaret looked down at his hand and raised her eyebrows. She ignored it and went on with her speech.

"Follow me Andrew," she said, motioning him toward her office.

"Look, I don't even know you. I've met you one time…"

"Twice actually, if you count now," Andrew noted.

"Clever. Anyway, I barely know you and you sure as hell don't know me. But there are some things you need to know before you start working here. One…Unsweetened low fat cinnamon soy latte, here. Every morning. Before I am. Two. You, here. Every morning. Before I am. Three. Manuscripts, here, on my desk. Every morning. Before I am. Follow those three rules and you're on your way. Got it?" Andrew nodded slightly. "Good, there's more. Never insert yourself into my personal life, never insert yourself into business conversations that don't concern you or what you do specifically. Never ask me to give you raise – Ah! Don't laugh – never ask for a higher position, never ask me to read your manuscript. Never be late, never argue with me, but most importantly, do not spill my coffee. Are we clear?"

"Is that everything?" Andrew asked quietly.

"Yes, I'll see you next week."

Andrew started to walk slowly toward the door.

"Ms. Tate?"

"Hmmm?"

"You are a complete stranger to me."

"Good."

Andrew shut the door behind him, took a deep breath and let out a sigh. This was going to be THE worst job he had ever had. Ever.


	5. Perfection Will Not Come

_Maybe you want her_

_Maybe you need her_

_Maybe you started to compare her to someone not there_

_Maybe you want it_

_Maybe you need it_

_Maybe it's all you're running from_

_Perfection will not come_

_~The Fray, "All At Once"_

After six months of working for – no – slaving for Margaret Tate, Andrew Paxton was changing. Margaret was not the charming woman he met on his birthday. In fact, she was turning out to be the biggest pain he had ever had…right in his ass. Sure, Margaret was gorgeous, talented, smart and single. But after his first six weeks on the job, these factors meant nothing to him. After countless sleepless nights, late night calls and random runs to the drugstore, Andrew realized that he really did have the boss from hell. Of course, no one is perfect, but Margaret Tate had some serious problems.

He often wondered what caused Margaret to be so crazy, so strict and so severe toward everyone around her. Either she had been burned, scorched and barbequed in the past, or she was just a naturally angry person. Andrew found it hard to believe that anyone could be that angry…naturally. So, he thought it was safe to assume she had lived a rough life. He began to do a little research on his boss with the help of Google and his friend Jordan. Jordan told him that people in the office knew very little of Margaret's past. For the most part, she was a very private person and kept to herself. What he did know was that Margaret's parents had been killed when she was young, maybe mid to late teens, leaving Margaret to take care of herself her whole life. Ah, there it was. Andrew felt he had come across the source of his boss's problems.

However, Andrew wasn't able to think about her problems for long as he was coming across some of his own. Valentine's Day was on its way and as usual, he was single. Of course, he'd gotten hit on by plenty of girls since he had been in New York, but they all had the same vapid, lifeless personality. They were struggling actresses, models, reality TV stars looking to hit it big. They lacked sophistication and more importantly, brains. While they had the whole package as far as looks went, they all paled in comparison to the one girl Andrew had lost his heart to; Gert. Andrew guessed Gert would always be the standard for him. But who knows, maybe his true soul mate was right under his nose and he never even realized it.

It wasn't long into the job as Margaret's assistant that things began to get very personal with her. While she had made it very clear before he started that he was never to involve himself in her personal affairs, he found himself more involved than he ever desired to be. He was sure he knew some things that even her closest friends didn't know. Come to think of it, he had never seen her with friends…at all. That's when something hit Andrew; he was her best friend. While they didn't always get along and most of to the time, he wanted to throw himself over the nearest bridge, he was the only one who really knew anything about her. The only thing was, he was being paid to do it. Basically, he was her bitch. And he could live with that as long as he got a promotion. However, it had been six long, grueling, sleepless months with Margaret and a promotion did not look promising.

Andrew awoke from his desk with a start. He glanced over at his Mac and read the time…seven in the morning? Andrew had fallen asleep at his desk reading a manuscript. Go figure. He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He was pretty sure he was the only one in the office this early in the morning. He couldn't believe no one had woken him up last night and told him to go home. But then again, there had been no one to tell him what to do for a very long time. Andrew was on his own.

Out of the corner of his right eye, he saw movement. Maybe there was someone else here and he just didn't know it. He headed toward Margaret's office and peeked through the glass door that separated him from the blinding sun as it rose in the east. He could clearly make out Margaret's small frame sitting at her desk, flipping page after page of a book.

He knocked and walked in without being received. Margaret looked up from her desk. Andrew almost laughed at her disheveled appearance. He was pretty sure that she looked as bad he did, but he wasn't about to suggest so. Andrew had never had to deal with Margaret this early in the morning. She was bad enough at nine, with a full night's sleep. He hated to see her at seven with no sleep at all. But, he was about to anyway.

Her hair was tied in a ponytail on top of her head, her form fitting jacket was thrown across the back of her chair haphazardly and her stilettos were sitting on top of her desk. She had her feet propped up on her desk and she was wearing only a white tank top and a form fitting black skirt. He had never seen her this relaxed, this…human.

"Andrew!" she said, scrambling to grab her jacket and put her legs down, once she realized who he was. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I uh…fell asleep. The manuscript you gave me was a piece of shit and I was exhausted. I'm guessing that yours was better than mine because you're still awake?"

"No, mine was shit too, but I have to give it to Jack and Edwin by ten, so I didn't really have a choice."

"What's it called?"

"The Broken Road. It's like a cross between Little House on the Prairie and uh…and uh…you have no idea what I'm talking about. Yeah, anyway. It's lame."

"Ah." Andrew said. A pregnant pause followed and awkwardness ensued. "Um, I'm going to go get coffee. You want the usual?"

"No way. Get me something with loads of sugar and caffeine. Get me whatever you get. I'm going to need it to make it through this day and so are you."

"I usually just get two of whatever you get."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Okay, well…" she trailed, "I'll just have whatever. Tell Jillian to surprise me," she said with an almost evil grin, taunting poor Andrew. Margaret had been hounding Andrew about Jillian, the coffee girl, for weeks. Every now and then, Andrew managed to give Margaret the cup that had a message from Jillian on it and she would joke him for days.

Jillian was sweet, but she wasn't his type. She was only just out of college and had been making the moves on him for quiet a while. He wasn't into way younger girls and never would be. She reminded him of his past and that wasn't something he wanted to remember.

"Haha, you're funny," he snapped back harshly at Margaret. "Bye," he said, heading toward the door.

She ignored him and went back to her shitty manuscript. He could be such a baby.

Andrew was gone for an hour before he returned to the office. He took the long way to Starbuck's and worked up an appetite. After eating, he got Margaret's coffee and began walking back. Luckily, Jillian was out of town so he was free from Margaret's torment. Margaret really knew how to be a bitch, but earlier this morning, he'd seen the human in her…the imperfections. Her hair was a mess, her makeup was non existent and her clothes were lacking but somehow, she managed to look perfect. But Andrew knew better. He knew that deep down, she was suffering. She was damaged goods. He was still looking for the good part of her, but the damaged part shone through whether she wanted to admit it or not.

He brought her coffee and the manuscript she had given him and shut the door to her office. After half an hour, people began strolling into the office and Andrew began filing through some paperwork. Winter was a slow time for Colden. They didn't get a lot of book deals done until April or May, so things weren't as busy in early February. He then took a look at Margaret's schedule of events and deadlines. He heard something that sounded like a small bubble popping and glanced at his computer screen. He had new e-mail.

Jordan had forwarded him an invitation. Who sends invitations out by e-mail? Shit…a fancy affair for the company was being held on Valentine's Day in order to create more publicity. Formal, black tie and evening gowns, the whole shebang. Not to mention the part about bringing a date. Andrew sighed and dropped his head to his hands. Could this day get any better? As if on cue, the phone rang and he yanked it off the hook and held it up to his ear. "Margaret Tate's office."

It was two and Andrew was ready to go home. So far, his tie had gotten caught in the paper shredder, He banged his knee on the side of his desk and on top of all that, he had to find a date to some fancy soirée which he was sure his presence would add no real value to.

By five, he was running on pure adrenaline and it was going to wear off soon. He wanted to get out of the office as soon as possible.

But fate was just not cooperating. Again, Andrew heard a blip from his computer, alerting him of an incoming instant message. _Come here, _it read. Margaret. Shit.

He groaned loudly and got the attention of some of his surrounding coworkers. He smiled stupidly and got up, heading toward Margaret's office.

"What?" he said through gritted teeth as he opened door.

"You're coming with me," she said simply.

Confused, Andrew closed his eyes and opened them again. "Come again?"

"You are coming with me," she said, waving a piece of paper.

He walked toward the desk and grabbed the paper from her. She was taken aback by his feistiness and flinched when his hand swiped so close to her face.

"Well if I have to come, I will. But I really don't think it's necessary I mean I'm only an assistant and I mean, how much assisting can I do for you with something like this. I mean, do they really need me for this anyway? I'm a nobody."

"Yes, I agree. You're a rambling nobody. But they want everyone there regardless, so you're coming with me."

"Wait…when you meant I was coming with you, you didn't mean that I was just attending."

"Precisely."

"Precisely what, Margaret?"

"You're coming with me."

"MARGARET!!!" Andrew yelled, causing Margaret to almost fly out of her seat. "Exactly what are you talking about?"

"I uh…I, well…I."

"Before I die," he interrupted.

"I need a date okay?"

"And you think that by telling me I'm going with you, that I'm just going to go buy a tux, and happily escort you to an event where I will most likely fall asleep and drool all over myself?"

"God, you're repulsive."

"So are you."

"Just drop it okay Andrew? Never mind."

"No, you know what? I want to know what goes on in that mind of yours. Just what is it that made you ask me to this…this…whatever the hell this is?"

Margaret rolled her eyes, sighed and looked up from her manuscript. "Look, I don't date. I don't have time, you very well know that. Now since you're at my side 24/7, that makes it so you don't have time to date either – "

"Oh really. Is that what you think?" he retorted. "That I don't have a life outside of this office?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you're damn right."

"Anyway, I just thought that since we don't have a lot of time to find dates and arrange things, that we could…I don't know, maybe this was a bad idea."

"No, go on, please."

"I thought maybe we could go together."

"Fine." Andrew said gruffly.

"Fine what?"

"I'll go with you to this gala or whatever they're calling it."

"Really."

"Yes, really. Don't read anything into it. I'm only going so I can meet some decent literary minds, eat some decent food and drink some decent wine."

"Okay then."

"Okay. Goodnight Margaret."

"Goodnight."

And with that, Andrew walked out of her office and pressed his back against the glass door. What the hell had just happened? He was going on a date with his boss, Margaret Tate. Somewhere, a pig just got his first set of wings.


	6. There Is Something Here

**Hey you guys. Thanks so much for all your kind reviews! And I'm sorry this took me way longer than a few days....I've kind of been in a slump. But I'm back and rearin' to go as they say. I'm sorry for all the typos, if there is any. I only barely had time to skim this as it's 5AM and I'm about to leave on a trip to Ohio. I have a 12 hr ride ahead of me, so no worries. Those hours will be well-spent. I will have a internet connection so I will post the next ch. as soon as it's available. Thanks for reading!!**

**~jackielynn**

**UPDATE: 5.30 PM, Monday August 17...Okay, so I deleted chapter 6 and reuploaded it because my trip got cancelled :( Got in an argument with my parents so...I guess some of you know how that goes. ANYWAY. Now that I have time, I can proofread this for you guys lol. BY THE WAY, I have links on my profile page to pictures of Margaret's hair and dress, just so you guys can get an idea. The dress in the picture is purple, but if you can picture it in black, that's what it looks like.**

_Quiet but I'm sure there is something here_

_Tell me everything 'cause I want to hear_

_~The Fray, "Absolute"_

Andrew was worried about many, many things. It was Valentine's Day. It was raining. He was being forced to go on a date with his boss.

Margaret made it very clear to him that this was not a date and she was only using him to get what she wanted. This was the one time in their relationship when Andrew was sure that honesty was not necessary. Margaret's idea of honesty did not quiet align with the rest of society. However, Andrew told himself to be a man and suck it up. After all, he had made it this far with Margaret. How much longer could she keep him on her leash?

The day of the banquet, things at Colden Books were at their usual pace; super busy. Andrew was going through several files on recent authors and Margaret was lazily thumbing through another useless manuscript. The office was closing down at noon so everyone could get prepared for the banquet in a decent amount of time. Of course, how the men got ready was nothing compared to what the women had to go through, so closing the office down early had really been for their convenience.

Andrew glanced at the lower right-hand corner of his computer screen. He had one more hour to get through and then he was home free until six tonight. Jordan couldn't believe his ears when Andrew had told him he was going with Margaret. All Jordan could say was that he couldn't wait to see the night play out. Figures. He was going with Denise, an attractive young lady who worked a few cubicles over.

Andrew sighed and rubbed his hands through his hair, letting them rest at the back of his head. He had a feeling this was going to be one of the longest hours of his life and tonight would be the longest three hours. Andrew had attended dances in high school of course, but never an event with this amount of elegance. He had to admit, it was nerve-wracking. Not only was he going with his boss, but he was going with the anchor of Colden Books. Which meant he had to be on his best behavior…or else.

Andrew was suddenly startled by a message that appeared on his screen. _Hungry? Let's do lunch, _it read. _We need to talk._

_We need to talk. _These were quite possibly the four worst words a man could ever hear. They only bring trouble. Andrew was sure that these words and Margaret combined were going to make for a hell of a lunchtime conversation.

Before he knew it, it was almost time to close for the day and Andrew's stomach was more than ready for lunch. He figured he could handle whatever Margaret had to say, as long as he had a plate of food in front of him.

He met her in the lobby and they headed silently out the door and in the direction of a restaurant unknown to Andrew. They had spent four hours at work that morning avoiding each other as much as possible. And now, walking side by side, it was still as if they were avoiding speaking to each other. Or, more importantly, they were avoiding the elephant in the room, which was tonight's banquet.

They got to the restaurant and were immediately seated. Then the awkwardness ensued…

"Okay, so I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I don't normally do this, but I was wrong," said Margaret.

Andrew nearly choked on the water he had been drinking. Come again?

"I'm sorry I forced you into going with me last night," she continued. "I'm just…I'm tired. I'm tired of being alone."

"You're not alone Margaret," Andrew replied softly. "You don't have to do everything by yourself."

"Sure I do Andrew! Don't you get it? I've been alone for a long time now and I will probably still be alone a long time from now."

"You're not alone. You have me Margaret, which is why I'm going with you tonight."

"Oh yeah, about that. I meant to tell you that you don't need to go with me. I'm sorry for intruding on your personal life."

Andrew was shocked…stunned…hurt? Yeah, at first Margaret had been annoying about the banquet. But now? Now he was actually looking forward to going. He wasn't about to back down from a challenge just because the challenge wanted to back out.

"Margaret," he said, catching her eye. "We're going tonight. And that's final."

With that, she gave him a small smile and they continued with their meal. After they had eaten until they were full, Andrew paid for the ticket and they went their separate ways. A limo was getting Andrew at 6:15 and Margaret at 6:30, then they would make their way to the banquet.

After taking a very long, very much-needed nap, Andrew showered, dressed and was ready to go. He was beginning to get nervous. Tonight's gala was after all, being used to generate a media spotlight for Colden Books. But still, he hoped to make a good impression. Who knows? He might meet some of the right people who could help him get ahead in his career. But that wasn't what he needed to be focusing on right now. He needed to focus on dealing with Margaret. After all, that was what he was there for right?

The limo rolled up to his small apartment building promptly at 6:15 and Andrew felt his stomach doing somersaults. This was it, he was going on a date with Margaret and there was no turning back.

A few minutes later, the limo stopped in front of Margaret's building in the middle of the Upper East Side. Andrew took a deep breath and stepped out of the limo to wait for Margaret. The door to her apartment was flung wide open and Andrew was greeted with just one of many shocks he was in for that night.

There before him stood his date, fumbling with the door and picking up the hem of her dress as she went down the stairs. When she got to the bottom, she looked up from her small black clutch and saw Andrew. His mouth was slightly agape as he eyed her up and down. She was wearing a dangerously low cut, halter top dress. The bodice was studded with stunning silver jewels, while the lower half was made of a flowing black silk. Her hair was elegantly swept back at the nape of her neck. There, several layers of hair overlapped into spiral curls. When Andrew's eyes met her smoky ones, he closed his mouth and said nothing. She smiled at him and motioned for the door to the limo.

"Should we get in? I don't think we want to be late."

Andrew snapped himself out of his gawking state and came back to reality. "Yes, of course," he said, opening the door for her.

He crawled in after her and the limo made its way to the banquet.

The ride there was silent and awkward. Both members were glad when it was over.

"You ready for this?" Andrew asked as they pulled up to the hotel.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

Andrew got out and was immediately greeted by the flash of camera bulbs and reporters. He grabbed Margaret's hand quickly as she got out of the limo and together, they tried to make their way through the crowd. He pulled her close to keep her from falling over or stepping on her dress and when they made it into the hotel lobby, she thanked him. As annoying as the press could be, they were both glad to see that Colden was finally getting some much needed recognition.

He held out his arm to her as they made their way to the ballroom.

Going in, they caught the eyes and whispers of several people from the office. However, they kept right on going to their table. Andrew pulled out Margaret's chair for her and they sat down right as the banquet was about to begin. After a hearty dinner, several speeches made by various Colden representatives and an award recognition, it was time to resume the night's festivities with something Andrew very much enjoyed; dancing.

Andrew stood up and walked toward Margaret's chair. He felt that even though she forced him into coming tonight, he at least owed her the first dance. When he held out his hand to her, she shook her head and refused. "I'm sorry Andrew. I appreciate it, but I don't really feel like dancing. I don't mind if you'd like to dance with someone else."

As soon as the words came from her lips, he knew exactly what the problem was. He was no dummy. "You can't dance can you?"

Margaret's mouth flew open in shock, "How did you know that?"

"Intuition," Andrew said, tapping his temple. "Come on," he urged, holding out his hand again. "It's easy, I'll show you."

Margaret reluctantly stood up and took his hand in hers. He led the way to the dance floor and pulled her close as the sultry jazz music began to play. He directed her on where to put her hands; her right one in his left and her left one on his shoulder. His arm slowly dropped down to her waist and she shivered from his touch. It had been a while since she had been in the arms of a man. She didn't realize how much she missed it until now. Andrew tried to direct her movements, but she wouldn't let him. He finally had to tell her to let loose and let him do the leading for once. After a few dances, Margaret began to get the hang of it. Really, all dancing was, was swaying and shuffling. Andrew timed things just right and made her look like a pro. Margaret could feel his warm skin burning against hers as he held her close to him. She looked up and his brown eyes seemed to melt with hers. It was surreal. She found it hard to believe that yesterday, they were arguing about whether or not Andrew was going to go tonight. She was glad he did.

After one more dance, Andrew and Margaret both agreed on a break and headed toward a nearby balcony for some fresh air. It was cold, but neither seemed to care and they were grateful for being able to breathe. After a few minutes, Margaret got chilly and Andrew offered her his jacket. She timidly accepted and drew it around her bare shoulders. She leaned against the balcony and gazed out over the city's lights.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight," she said to him softly.

"You're welcome," he said, looking at her.

Andrew was confused. He wasn't quite sure what was happening. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that he was beginning to care about his boss a little more than he should. The thought nagged ar him for a few minutes before he looked at Margaret again. She was absolutely stunning, especially tonight. Here he was, with a beautiful woman, on Valentine's Day and yet – something was amiss. The chemistry was there, but the motivation was not. Andrew remembered two words his father had always used as a bit of encouragement for him. No matter what the situation, Joe had always taught Andrew to "Carpe Diem"…seize the day.

"Margaret," he whispered.

She looked at him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked, confusedly.

"Everything. I'm sorry you've been alone for all these years. I'm sorry about your parents. I'm sorry I know about this because you're probably going to kill me for bringing it up. You should know that any guy on earth would be lucky to have you. Especially on a night like this when you…look…like…this. I can't help but wonder about certain things and I…I think in a way, we're similar. Because we're alone."

"Where are you going with this?"

"What I'm saying is that there's a song, with some lyrics that go, "love the one you're with." People always say that those you are closest to often end up being the ones you care about the most. I think…you might be that one."

Margaret let out a small gasp of shock…what did all this mean???

The next thing she knew, Andrew's hand was around her waist and her body was pressed up against his. He had swept her up and pulled her into a dizzying kiss. After a few seconds, she finally got a chance to react and forcefully pulled away from him.

"What the HELL are you doing?" Margaret said, rather loudly.

"I'm sorry," Andrew said, looking innocent. "I…I don't know what came over me. I suppose I did it because it's Valentine's Day and...you're...we're here. Maybe it's the cold air, or the wine. I don't know."

Margaret thought for a minute before responding. "No. I think you knew exactly what you were doing."

And with that, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, like she was sure she had never kissed another man before. Andrew wrapped his arms around Margaret and kissed her back. He was pretty sure that the rest of this evening was about to get even more confusing. It wasn't over yet.


End file.
